The present invention relates to a connector assembly having a connector position assurance device for assuring the fitting of connectors fitted to each other, and a connector used in the connector assembly.
An electrical connector assembly having a CPA (connector position assurance device) is conventionally known. A main function of the connector position assurance device is to prevent connectors from being separated from each other by preventing the flexure of a latch for maintaining a fitting state of the connectors fitted to each other. Further, it is required in the connector position assurance device that a worker can rapidly fit the connectors to each other, and the worker confirms the complete fitting state. These requirements are particularly important in the field of an automobile industry required the connection reliability of electrical system and required to minimize the labor of manufacture.
The electrical connector assembly having the connector position assurance device having such a function is disclosed in Japanese Patent Nos. 2647335 and 2647336 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 264229/1996, etc. The connector position assurance device is attached to one of a pair of connector housings through a flexible connecting member so as not to be separated from each other. After the pair of connector housings is fitted, the fitting state of the pair of connector housings is locked by inserting the above connector position assurance device into the connector housings. When the fitting of the pair of connector housings is insufficient, connector position assurance device can not be inserted until normal positions of the connector housings. Therefore, the worker can visually confirm the incomplete fitting of the connector housings.
This connector position assurance device was separated until a fitting time as a separate body from the pair of connector housings able to be fitted. Therefore, the connector position assurance device is treated as a separate member so that a work step is added in an assembly line and assembly steps become complicated.
Therefore, another electrical connector assembly is proposed. In this electrical connector assembly, the connector position assurance device is temporarily engaged with one of the pair of connector housings able to be fitted, and is arranged such that the connector position assurance device is slid from a temporary engaging position to a main engaging position only when the above pair of connector housings is fitted. The electrical connector of this kind is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 285280/1991 and 17505/1997, etc. When one of the pair of connector temporarily engaged with the connector position assurance device fits to the other connector housing, the connector position assurance device is advanced until a position for preventing lock release of the mutual fitting of the connector housings, and is engaged with the connector housings. The pair of connector housings cannot be separated from each other unless the connector position assurance device is again pulled and returned until the temporary engaging position.
In accordance with the electrical connector assembly including such a connector position assurance device, the mutual fitting of the connector housings is locked by mounting the connector position assurance device to the connector housings, or inserting the connector position assurance device from the temporary engaging position to the main engaging position. The lock of the mutual fitting of the connector housings is released by detaching the connector position assurance device from the connector housings, or returning the connector position assurance device from the main engaging position to the temporary engaging position. Therefore, two operations constructed by a pulling-extracting operation of the connector position assurance device and a pulling-extracting operation of the pair of connector housings are included in the release of the fitting of the pair of connector housings.
A main object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly including the connector position assurance device and able to simply perform attaching and detaching operations of the pair of connector housings, and a connector used in the electrical connector assembly.
An electrical connector assembly of the present invention comprises a pair of connector housings (2) (3) able to be fitted, and a lock arm (4) engaged with one (2) of these connector housings (2) (3) and holding a fitting state of the pair of connector housings when the above pair of connector housings (2) (3) is fitted;
wherein the above lock arm (4) has a fitting lock portion (34) fitted to the other connector housing (3), and an engaging lock portion (35) engaged with one connector housing (2) in a releasing direction of the above fitting lock portion (34).
The above engaging lock portion (35) prevents the release of the above fitting lock portion (34) when only the above one connector housing (2) begins to be separated. The release of the fitting lock portion (34) is not prevented by the above engaging lock portion (35) when the above lock arm (4) begins to be separated from the above other connector housing (3) together with the above one connector housing (2).
In accordance with this electrical connector assembly, when only one connector housing (2) begins to be separated, the lock arm (4) fitted to the other connector housing (3) by the fitting lock portion (34) is left. The engaging lock portion (35) engaged with one connector housing (2) attains an operating state and prevents the release of the above fitting lock portion (35). Therefore, the separation of the pair of connector housings (2) is prevented when only one connector housing (2) begins to be separated by such means as pulling an electrical wire.
When the lock arm (4) engaged with one connector housing (2) begins to be separated from the other connector housing (3) together with this one connector housing (2), the lock arm (4) fitted to the other connector housing (2) by the fitting lock portion (34) is moved together with one connector housing (2). Therefore, the engaging lock portion (35) engaged with one connector housing (2) attains a releasing state so that the release of the above fitting lock portion (34) is not prevented. Therefore, when the lock arm (4) or both the lock arm (4) and one connector housing (2) are pulled, the pair of connector housings (2) (3) is separated.
In the electrical connector assembly of the present invention, it is preferable that the above lock arm (4) has an elastic arm (33), and the above fitting lock portion (34) and the above engaging lock portion (35) are arranged at the tip of this elastic arm (33) such that operating directions of the fitting lock portion (34) and the engaging lock portion (35) are opposed to each other.
In accordance with this electrical connector assembly, the above fitting lock portion (34) and the above engaging lock portion (35) are arranged at the tip of the elastic arm (33) such that the operating directions of the fitting lock portion (34) and the engaging lock portion (35) are opposed to each other. Therefore, when the engaging lock portion (35) is located in a lock position, the fitting lock portion (34) is also located in the lock position. When the engaging lock portion (35) is located in a releasing position, the fitting lock portion (34) is also located in the releasing position.
In the electrical connector assembly of the present invention, it is preferable that the above lock arm (4) is movably arranged in a fitting direction with respect to one connector housing (2), and the engaging lock portion (35) is switched to an engaging position and a releasing position by this movement.
In accordance with this electrical connector assembly, the lock arm (4) is movably arranged in the fitting direction with respect to one connector housing (2). Therefore, the engaging position and the releasing position of the engaging lock portion (35) are switched by a slight axial movement of the lock arm (4).
In a connector of the present invention, a connector position assurance device (4) having an elastic arm (33) for fitting to a mating side connector (3) is engaged with the interior of a connector housing (2) fitted to the mating side connector (3). An engaging portion (35) against the above connector housing (2) is arranged on a side directed to the exterior of the tip of the above elastic arm (33). A fitting portion (34) against the mating side connector (3) is arranged on a side directed to the interior of the tip of the above elastic arm (33). The above elastic arm (33) is movably engaged with the above connector housing (3) in an axial direction in a position engaged with the above engaging portion (35) and a position disengaged from the engaging portion (35). The above engaging portion (35) is located in the engaging position when the above mating side connector (3) begins to be detached from the above connector housing (2). The above engaging portion (35) is located in the disengaging position when both the above connector housing (2) and the above elastic arm (33) begin to be detached from the above mating side connector (3).
In accordance with this connector, the fitting portion (34) to the mating side connector (3) is arranged at the tip of the elastic arm (33) engaged with one connector housing (2). Therefore, the engaging portion (35) at the tip of the elastic arm (33) is located in the engaging position or the releasing position against one connector housing (2) by the axial relative movement of one connector housing (2). Simultaneously the above fitting portion (34) can be switched to the fitting position or the releasing position for the mating side connector.